A house refurb in a São Paulo suburb shapes space with soft light and minimal detailing

The courtyard house is given a fresh spin in this new São Paulo project by Meireles + Pavan Arquitetura. The Ortiz House covers a generous 560m2, spread across two volumes, starting with a two-storey structure set back from the road behind high gates. Behind this is a secondary annexe containing an office and private guest suite, linked by a central courtyard. There’s also a landscaped garden at the rear, designed by Renata Tilli.

The house, which is located close to the city’s Parque Ibirapuera in the Vila Nova Conceição neighborhood, is actually a substantial overhaul of an existing structure, a careful combination of old and new. The owners wanted a highly sustainable home, one that reflected their work in environmental protection and animal welfare, so in addition to improved energy efficiency, the design preserves and adds new trees and tropical species.

The primary house is white painted brick, with a deceptively simple façade of perfectly spaced shuttered windows flanking a minimal porch. Brick is also used inside, as is the wood used for shutters, doors and deck. Inside, there’s a dependence on stucco walls to create a richly textured environment when paired with the precisely detailed junctions of wall, floor and ceiling.

The main sculptural element is the central staircase with its twisting stucco balustrade. Many of the large original windows were preserved on the ground floor and these have been combined with rooflights on the floor above to bring light into the heart of the house.

The kitchen is divided into two volumes by a concealed sliding door that shuts off the formal and informal dining spaces from the food preparation area. From here there are direct views into the garden via the large windows. Light bounces off the curved kitchen ceiling to create an intimate space, a feeling that is enhanced by the inbuilt window seat and use of exposed brick walls.

The principal living room is arranged around a central fireplace with large backlit wooden shelving units on each side. Above them are rows of circular ceiling apertures to bring more natural light into the space. A secondary living area features a sunken conversation pit.

That winding staircase leads all the way up to another living space beneath the new timber pitched roof, with a games area and media room. Below this on the first floor are three bedrooms with tall, floor to ceiling windows and bathrooms that focus on terrazzo, stone and wooden cabinetry.

The house serves as a fine backdrop for a collection of contemporary design, including Kateryna Sokolova’s Low Chair Gropius CS1, Ini Archibong’s Atlas dining chairs and Ondine armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin. Brunno Meireles and André Pavan, working with their colleague Guilherme Delgado, have created a domestic sphere that’s rich in atmosphere despite the carefully conceived simplicity of the details and materials.

Meireles + Pavan Arquitetura, MeirelesPavan.com.br, @M.P.Arquitetura